Hallie's Bridal Shower!!

Today we went to Hallie's bridal shower!! It was her house in Spanish Fork. A lot of people came and we had a good turn out from our side as well. Me, Jenna, Janika, Ellen, my mom, my Aunt Nelva, Danielle, Alicia, Rella, Grandma Jensen, and Julie. Grandma Jensen brought all of Jared's hope chest items and had them open everything after the shower. Here are a few pictures of the event! 

Phone Number on a Costa Vida Cup

After we dropped off Josh to the MTC on Wednesday, I headed back home and Rick rented a car and stayed up north since he had meetings in SLC on Friday. I brought my car to the Toyota dealership for an oil change Friday morning. I figured it would take about 45 minutes at most. Well, THREE hours later my car was finally finished!! I was glad that I brought my laptop with me so that I could get some work done! Still, I was stressing because I was planning to leave up north with Jenna as soon as she got home from school at 12:30 and I still had lots to do! 

When Jenna got home from school (early out on Fridays) we quickly packed and ate lunch and left around 1:30. We were meeting Hallie's parents for dinner that night in Spanish Fork so that we could get acquainted before the upcoming wedding in two weeks! They decided that Costa Vida would be a good choice since almost everything is gluten free. Rick was meeting us there (coming from Shane and Alicia's house with his rental car) and arrived about a half hour late because traffic was so awful! 

We ate and visited and then one of the Costa Vida workers brought an empty cup to Jenna with the cashier's phone number on it. The girl said that the cashier thought Jenna was cute and so he wanted to give his phone number to her. Anyway, we all thought it was pretty funny! Jenna got a free drink out of it and even texted the guy after we left. He was 17 years old. He asked if Jared was her boyfriend, haha. She said no, but she had to break the news that she wasn't actually from Spanish Fork, but was from St. George! (Here is a picture, but I smudged out the phone number in order to maintain his anonymity, ha ha!)

Then we all went over to the golf course where the reception was going to be held. It is very pretty and will be a perfect location! There is a big indoor room with tables and chairs and then a big outdoor space too, and so they get the best of both worlds! We all visited there for a while and then Rick, Jenna, and I headed to  Shane and Alicia's house where we were spending the night. Ani, Layla, and Noe were there since they were going to have a cousin's sleepover. But Ani was feeling really sick and had to go home, so that's too bad! 

The next morning I went for a walk and took a bunch of pictures of the house and backyard and the street that leads to the gate to their backyard (all in preparation for the wedding luncheon in a couple of weeks). Rick went to Janika's house so that Brandon could bring him to the car rental place to return his car. 

When it was nearing time to leave for the shower I headed to Janika's house to carpool with the Janika and Ellen. Janika and Brandon had a primary party this morning and so Jase and Ellen and boys joined them for that. Then the men all stayed at Janika's house to watch the boys while us girls drove to the shower. I was stressing because Rick and Jase and Ellen and their boys had gone to Ben Lord's (Jase's friend) house and weren't back yet and I didn't want to be late for the shower. It all worked out though, and we were only about 15 minutes late. 

It was an open house, and so people could arrive whenever. The other car with my mom, Aunt Nelva, Alicia, Rella, and Jenna arrived a few minutes after we did. I drove me, Janika, and Ellen. Right when I drove up Josh called from the MTC for his first p-day video call. So that was tricky timing. I talked with him for a bit and let him talk to both Grandmas and a few other people. It was really loud at the shower though, so I had to go outside so that I could hear him. Then I added Rick to the call. We all talked for a few minutes and then I let Rick continue on with the call. 

Josh wasn't very talkative and sounded pretty negative on the video call and so then we worried if we was doing okay. He sent his letter out a couple of hours later and the tone of the letter was much more upbeat and positive than his video call was! We enjoyed the shower (see previous post) and then Rick, Jenna, and I headed back home to St. George! 

Josh, MTC Drop Off!!

Today was the day! It was a crazy day for all of us. Jenna was picked up at 4:50 am to go to the church at 5:00 for a temple appointment with the young men and young women. She made it home at 6:40, just ten minutes before she was to be picked up for Madrigals! Then she had "lunch bunch" at Bria Thompson's house and then was supposed to work tonight (but ended up giving her shift to someone because she was so tired!) I don't blame her! 

Rick, Josh, and I left at 7:30 to head up north. We stopped in Orem at the car rental place so that Rick could rent a car for the next few days, since he would be staying up north and I would be driving back home. Josh and I both tried to sleep in the car on the way home, but I don't think either of us were very successful! 

Rick listened to a couple of good church talks on the way. Then we pulled out the letters that everyone had written to Josh and gave them to him to read. Then Rick said he wanted to read them and so I read them out loud to Rick and Josh and that brought all the tears! I read the letters, bawling the whole time! Our kids are so so awesome! They wrote such thoughtful, heartfelt letters and gave such amazing advice! I am so glad that we started this tradition of having all of the siblings write a letter to their brother or sister when they leave on a mission. They are treasures! 

After renting the car we all met at the Golden Corral. It was so funny because we ran in to Mark Tarr (a friend from Snow College) and his family again, just like we did when dropping off Janelle three years ago! At that time he and his family were dropping off their daughter to the MTC, and this time they were dropping off their son to the MTC, same as us! And what is even more ironic is that their son is going to Korea on his mission too! Only he is in the other mission. So we introduced his son to Josh and they got to visit a bit. They will probably see each other quite a bit in the MTC!

Janika and Brandon were able to take a little time off work to come to the Golden Corral with their boys, and so that was fun! Ellen also came with Evan and Eli and they made a cute little poster for Josh. She also brought a polaroid camera in order to take some pictures with Josh that he could take with him, which I thought was such a great idea! Josh loved them! Janelle and Bryton also came. Josh's good friend, Adam Parkhurst, was also to come since he was up north for Education Week. We had a really nice lunch and took some pictures. 

After that Josh said goodbye to the rest of the family and those of us seeing him off met at the chapel right next to the MTC. Usually we always take pictures at the Provo Temple, but it is not there any more! They tore it down and so now it is just a grassy field! So Jaiden was the last of our family to get pictures in front of it. We then headed into the parking garage to drop off Josh! I was fine until that final hug and then I was crying again!! We all were! Well, I don't know if Josh was, but I am sure he was feeling all the feels too! 

I sure wish I could be a fly on the wall those first few days at the MTC to witness everything he is experiencing! After our goodbyes we all went our separate ways! Rick was staying up north since he had meetings in Salt Lake this week. I was rushing back because I was scheduled to interpret for Frozen at Tuacahn that same night! So that was stressful. I listened to the show over and over the whole way home in order to prepare. I mean I had already prepared lots of hours, but this was the final preparation.

At least it forced me to take my mind off of Josh leaving, ha ha! The play went really well tonight. It was fun, but I was glad to get it behind me! So that was our day!! 

And Jaiden's one year mark!! I am sure the next six months will fly by!! 

Crazy Cow Farm Adventure: Jase and Ellen

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Josh's Setting Apart

Tonight Josh was set apart as a full-time missionary! There were several missionaries getting set apart tonight and so the Stake Presidency had to divide and conquer! We were with President Parker. He had everyone give some advice to Josh. This was much easier than expressing how we feel about him, which always caused the tears to flow! Josh was given and incredible blessing! It was a really special experience! They even let immediate family members zoom in. We had Janika and Brandon and also Jaiden! We are so proud of Josh! 

Josh's Missionary Farewell!

Today was Josh's missionary farewell! 

I had a lot on my mind today -- Josh's farewell, Jared and Hallie's upcoming wedding, and Janelle and Bryton's engagement! Jared and Hallie had brought a couple hundred wedding invitations for me to label and send out tomorrow. I was disappointed that the address labels that I ordered from Amazon didn't come in time, but then Rick said he had a bunch at the Seminary building and so he saved us! Then we worked on the last minute food preparations and clean up for the luncheon. 

Josh did well on his talk. It was a little short -- just over six minutes, instead of the requested nine minutes, but that's okay! He received a lot of compliments on it. Hattie Allred did the musical number on the violin and did well too. Steve Larsen was the other speaker and did awesome too. He went to the same mission as Josh you can tell that his mission deeply impacted him.

I was really touched by his closing story. He said that in Korea, like in many missions, they teach English classes a couple of times a week. As part of their English classes they would teach a gospel-centered message in Korean in the middle of their class. He had been out in the field several months when they asked him to give this spiritual lesson in Korean. He was nervous, but he was also excited. He thought about it all day and really tried to prepare. However, when it came time to share in front of a room filled with people who only spoke Korean, he couldn't think of a single thing to say. He said, "My mind was blank, my tongue was tied." He had so much he wanted to share and felt the fire from within, but didn't know how to express it in Korean. 

He said that he basically said the same thing over and over in order to fill the time because he didn't know how else to say it. He said that he felt so awful and was just so embarrassed. He said he went to the bathroom and he just felt so pathetic. Then fast forward seven years. He was teaching in the MTC and a Korean sister came up to him and said that she was in the room that day when he had shared his humble testimony. She said that she was so touched by the spirit with his words and it was that experience that led her to investigate the church and eventually be baptized. He learned then that God truly works through small and simple ways! I was totally crying through this story! 

After the meeting Brother Awerkamp gave a very beautiful and touching prayer and then we came home for lunch. So many young adults came to watch Josh speak and also to the house after -- much more than I was expecting! I was grateful that we had enough food! After the block the Phillips came over and the Larsens. Summer and Logan came over too. So we were finally able to have a little adult company after the hoards of teenagers left, ha ha! 

A couple of hours a down pour hit and so of course Jenna had to go run around in it with mascara running down her face! Thankfully it cleared up well before Josh's setting apart that night! 

Frozen!!

Jared and Hallie wanted to go see Frozen tonight at Tuacahn, and so I got tickets for them and for Janelle and Bryton also so that they could have a double date! Tammy from Tuacahn really came through for us -- she got us awesome seats! They were row H, right in the middle, which is just 8 rows from the front! Jenna was working too and was able to get them some snacks. So they had a fun, free date!! The only drawback was the heat. It seems like it has been ever hotter this year than usual, even well into August. They still enjoyed the show though!